Suspect arrested in Brentwood fatal hit-run

A routine identification check aboard a Canada-bound bus led to the arrest Tuesday of a suspect wanted in connection with a fatal hit-and-run accident in Brentwood on Feb. 18, New York State Police said.

Sylvestro Liotta, 44, was arrested by State Police and agents from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection as he sat on a Trailways bus at the border checkpoint on the Peace Bridge, which connects upstate Buffalo to Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada.

The arrest took place at about 3 p.m., State Police investigator Gary Colon told Newsday, explaining that border protection agents who ran Liotta's ID information found he had an outstanding warrant on a vehicular manslaughter charge in Suffolk.

"He was stunned," Colon said, adding: "He was on the bridge. You can see Canada."

Colon said that, after his arrest, Liotta, whose address was not known, was handed over to U.S. marshals. Marshals were scheduled to transport Liotta to Suffolk police for arraignment in First District Court in Central Islip.

Arraignment information also was not available.

A law enforcement official told Newsday that Liotta had been sought in connection with the hit-and-run death of Orlando Marquez, 38, of Brentwood. The fatal accident took place on Calebs Path just south of Bushwick Avenue at about 8 p.m. and was reported by a passerby who police said found Marquez in the street.

Marquez was taken to Southside Hospital in Bay Shore where he was pronounced dead. Suffolk police had urged anyone with information regarding the fatal accident to call Crime Stoppers, but it was not immediately clear what led to police seeking a warrant against Liotta.